Self-actuating safety-panel.



' H. F. KRANTZ. SELF ACTUATING SAFETY PANEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18.191.6-

Patented Nov. 27. 1917.

'2 sains-sain 1.

H. F. KRANTZ. SELF ACTUATING SAFETY PANEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. IB. 19H5.

Panigegl Nov. 27, 1917.

I To all whom t mag/concern.'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Be it known that I, lliiisnirr F. KnAN'rz, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and 1inproved Self- Aetuating Satetylanet of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

This invention deals with certain improven'ients in safety panel boxes designed to att'ord more convenient access tor purposes of inspection and replacement oi Safety fuses and it embodies certain o'l' the broader features claimed in my co-pending case No. 42,956; adding thereto certain further provisions iii the construction of safety panel boxes.

Among other objects, this invention proposes an arrangement'such that the door cannot be either opened or closed save when the switch blade is in open circuit position, and such that an :it-tempt to either open or close the door will throw the blade in set position.

Another object is to provide a simple ar raiigen'ient` \\hereb \`I the fuse plugs will not only be. very easily replaced but so that. the opening ot` the,v door will shift the inalieand-l'ireali' iriechanisiii into t'ully exposed view. l

Other objects will be in part. obvious tirom the annexed drawings and in part indicated in `connor-tion therewith by the following analysis ol this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features o'l construction, combinations of parts, and in the unique relations of the. members and in the relative. proportioiiiiig and disposition thereof; all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled iii they art so fully comprehend' the underlying teatui'es thereof that they may embody the saine by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings i'lepicting a preferred l'orm have been annexed asa part. ot this disclosure, and inl such drawings, likecharacters ot' reterence denote coi-i'espoiii'ling part-s throughout all` the views of whiehgi Figure 1 represents the invention in lon? gitudiintl cross-section with the switchblade in closed circuit and Fig. 2 shows the4 same with the blade; in openen-cuit. Figa-3 is a plan of this apparatus and Figs. 4 and 5 are Specification of Letters Patent.

HUBERT F,.K.RANTZ. OF BBGOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SELF-ACTUATING SAFETY-PANEL.

Paten-ted Nov. 27, 1917.V

Application filed February 18, 1916. Serial'No. 79,094.

generally a structure in the nature ot" a box or other suitable inelosure ywhich may be constructed'in various ways, as for exaniple. by means ot sheet metal sides and ends l and .2 connected, it desired, with a similar i'toor member 3, and interiorly providing la base-plate ft of insulating material which is utilized as a mounting for one or more terminal elements. As here shown. associated with this base-plate is a partition 5 of insulating material which divides the interior ot the box into a gutter or channel B carrying the leading-iii wires from the main supplyl and 'containing the terminals (5 thereofl which, by means of suitablev screws 7, are connected directly to niain-linebiis bar or switch terminal S havingla -sha'pe and VeX- Si against nhieh the switch bladtfinay `direclly bear. An insulating strip 1t) siii'- niounts these variousmain-line terminals` and 'intel-venes between the saine'and the iixed or stationary portion l1 of the cover of the liox, lt'l is to be understood that. this portion .1l need only be removed ill rai-e instances, asin case ot' anything happening to the leading-,in wires within tliegutter B, and it therefore, normally closed. y i

The remaining space of the safety panel box is occupied by the. malte-and-break mechanism and also the safety fuse, tertiainals. and the current carrying parts -aie normally iiiciosed or protected against when-- ever .they are livel by means ol' one or 'more doors (l serving as an obstructing elejnient; to prevent the hand of the user from touching any live parts. 'lhis door,` however, is so :ii'iaiiged, as tor instance. by

means of the hinge or its equivalent l2, that this invent-ion this is very conveniently provided for hy mounting a vpart. of tthe maked and-breakmechanism on the shiftahle'door (l so thatwhen the door has heen opened, the makend-break mechanism -wil1 be4 circuit position.

brought into a very accessible inspecting position. Now, the general arrangement is such that whenever the door has been displaced, and access is thereby afforded to the 5 fuse units the fuse plu terminals will all become dead, Likewlse, under the same conditions, this embodiment causes the make-andbreak elements to become dead, as by swinging the switch blade into its open The particular mechanism here resorted to for disclosing this mode of operation is constructed as follows: Mounted on the base board l are two ter-4 minals 13 and 14 which` are adapted to act 15 as spring clips to p'ermit a read)v samution of any suitable fuse plug. These tei"- minals 13 and let are merely typical of any variety of socket or arrangement adapted separably to receive fuse units. The one terminal is connected with a branch line eircuit by means of a part 15, and the other terminal 13 is connected preferably directly with a contact piece 16 which receives the current from a suitable switch blade when in contact therewith. Preferably this contact 16 is complementary to the contact fl and is arranged opposite the same' diagonally across the axis of rotation of a suitable switch blade S. This switch blade is 80 mounted to rock about the axis Av, and is actuated by grasping the handle (it) and thereby swinging the arm O about its axis a', and thus, by means of the toggle mechanism, illustrated in detail in my copending 435 application No. 42,956, causing the switc blade S to be forced into and locked in its closed circuit position against the contacts 9 and 16, or 4permitted to snap into open circuit position by spring action. 40 This mechanism, being closely detailed in said co-pending case, need not here be specifically described as in this connection it is employed to typify any desired type of switch,mechanisn1 adapted to be' mounted upon the shiftable door C.

A door-locking handle D is 111 this embodiment preferably arranged so as to bebodily movable with the door itself sothat it may .be used not only for unlocking the door` but also for bodily displacin the door during its own shift yin space, a though it may be arranged so as to perform the former function alone by providing the door with a separate handle to be used for shifting the door after it has been unlocked by actuation of the other. Here the handle D turns about a. pivoted shaft 17 to which is atlined a rotatable plate 18 on the inner side of the door C. Extending from this plate 18 is a locking latch 19 which is adapted to catch underneath -a'lip 20 secured to a stationary part of the'box and thereby prevent the door from being opened when the handle is in the position shown by Fig. 1.

`The construction is also such that the door lcannot be closed when the handle is in said posltlon, and this is accomplished by means lof a s econd projection ll which is arranged so that it will impact the uppersurface ot' the lip 2U should an attempt be made to 70 closb the door when the handle is in the wrong position.

Now this invention furthermoreproposes a connection between this handle and the switch mechanism such that the door can neither bc opened nor closed save when the switch is in open circuit position; and furthermore such that an operation of the handle into this door opening position will result in a shifting of the switch blade into its open circuit position.

The switch mechanism presents in addition to the actuating lever 0 a second actuating member 'l` which is effective to cause the switch blade to move into its open circuit posit-ion; in this instance by breaking thel toggle in the same way that the corresponding member T can be pushed to break the toggle in the switch mechanism shown in my said co-'pending case. This member 90 T provides a slot 9.1 whereby the pin u guides it, and its one end bears against or 1s pivoted to either the arm O or lthe arm R or the toggle link swinging about the shaft .fr so that, if the part. T be pushed to the left, it will cause the switch S to swing into its open circuit position. Likewise, the connection is such that if the arm O be swung into the position shown by Fig. 1 of necessity the part T will'then be protruded toward the right as shown by Fig. 1, 'in which case the switch S establishes electri` cal connection.

An interponent F intervenes between the part T. or the rail 22 connecting a plurality 105 of similar parts T and the handle D in such a manner that when the handle is in the p0- sition shown b vFig. 2 (permitting the door to open) the part T must of necessity be in its open circuit" position; and conversely, when the part T is in its closed circuit position, interponent F compels the handle D to assume the position shown by Fig.` 1, thereby preventing the door from being opened, if it be closed; or from being closed if it he open. This effect is conveniently attainedby pivoting the interponeut F to the part 18 by means of the pivot and by causing its other end to be guided by a part 2i into proper relation with the cross rail 22. 120

It should be pointed out that the handle l), with the parts directly connected to `be operated thereby, constitutes an auxiliary manual control means for the switch blade in that said parts are capable, independent-ly of the main operating or control arm t), ot' controlling movement of the .switch blade from one of its positions to another at certain times. T he effectiveness of this aux- -iliary control means is dependent upon the position both of the movable door and of the main control means for the reason that the switch blade can liever be in the on position except when the handle is thrown to a corresponding position, and it even thenl is never in engagement with the opposite contact terminals except when the door is closed. Thus the position of the door, which constitutes a part of the protecting casing for the switch blade, determines the effectiveness of the auxiliary control means.

many changes could be made of this construction without departing from the yscope of the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the 'above description, .or shown Ain the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a. limiting sense.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the fols lowing combinations of elements, or equivalents thereof, by Letters Patent of the Uni ted States:

1. A switch mechanism combining a cas- 2. A switch mechanism combining a cas-` ing having an opening tliereinto, a switch blade, iriaiiual control. means for the switch blade, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a manually operable lock operable independently of the manual control incansjfor the switch blade for preventing displaicen'ient of said closure member, and connections between said switch blade con trolnieaiis., and said lock for moving said lock into] ring position when said switch blade is thrown into closed circuit position. BLA switch mechanism combining a c asing having an opening thereinto, a switch v, manual. control means for the switch l a displaceable closure member for said opening, an element operable to dis-v place the closure'meinber, apart movable by said clcincntto lock the closure member against displacement, and connections` between said part and said switch blade whereby to constitute an auxiliary control means for the switch blade.

4. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, a switch blade, -inanual control means for the switch blade, a` displaceable closure member for said opening, a. handlevmounted on said closure member having a part to lock said closure member, said handle being adapted to be actuated irst to unlock the closure member and then to displace it, and means whereby the handle constitutes part of an auxiliary-control means for the switch blade operable to cause the switch blade to assume an open circuit position when said closure member has been unlocked.

5. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening.thereii'itm a switch blade, manual Control means-for the switch blade, a displaccablc closure member' for said opening, a manually` operable lock oi eiable independently of the manual control means for the switch blade for preventing displacement of said closure member. and ini-ans whereby said lock constitutes an auxiliary manual control means for' thc lswitch blade.

(i. A switch mechanism combining :i cas-4 ing having an opening thereinto, a switch blade, manual control means tor the switch blade, a dislilaceablc closure member for said opening, means independent of said switch blade control means effective to prevent closure 'of the closure member when saidl switch blade is in closed circuit posi-` tion, and said last means comprising an auxiliary manual control niediuin for the switch blade.

7. A switch mechanism combining a casingl having an opening thcrcinto. a switch blade, manual control incansI for the switch blade, a disl'ilaceablc closuri` incinbcr for said opening, means independent of the switch blade control means for preventing said clo sure mcmbcr from being opened when said blade is in closed circuit position. and said` last mcans comprising an auxiliary manual -control medium for theswitch blade..

, 8. A switch mechanism con'ibining a cas-` ing having an opening thcieinto. a'. door displaceable to open and close said opening. a

control means ior causing said switch blade to assume its open circuit position whenever said door is either opened or closed.

10. A switch vmechanism (,:oinbining a casing having an opening thcreinto, a switch blade, manual control means for the switch blade, a displaccablc closure member for said opening, auxiliary control means for the switch blade, and means whereby the effectiveness of the auxiliarv control means is dcl'll) termiiied by the position of the closure membei'.

11. A switch mechanism comprising a movable contact part, control means therefor. auxiliary control means vfor said movable contact part, a protecting member for the switch mechanism, said protecting member having a movable part, and means whereby the effectiveness of the auxiliary controll means is determined by the position of the movable part of' the protecting member.

12. A switch mechanism having a movable blade, an operating handle for moyiiig said blade, a protecting member for protecting said blade, said protecting member having a displaceable part displaceable to give access to said blade, auxiliary control means for the blade, and means whereby the effectiveness of said auxiliary control means is determined by the position of said displaceable part.

13. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, a door for the opening pivota-lly mounted to swing into and out of closing position, a switch mechanisin carried by the door to swing therewith and comprising a double-ended switch blade pivoted intermediate its length to swing its opposite ends into and out of functioning position, and a pair of contacts for the respective ends of the switch blades arranged with respect to the door hinge so that when the door is swung open the ends of the switch blade will move inY opposite directions away from their; respective contacts.

14. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening tliereyiiito, a door for the opening hinged to swing linto and out of closing position, a contact member arranged within the casing, a switch mechanism carried by the door to swing therewith, a barrier arranged within the casing between said contact member and said opening to render the contact member practically inaccessible from said opening when the door is open, and the switch mechanism comprising a contact part which swings about saidbarrier into and out of position for functioning with said contact member when the door is closed or opened. Y l

15, A switch mechanism comprising a casing havingian opening thereinto, a closure rss lledge adjacent the opening, a contact member terminating at the under face of said ledge, a switch device for coperating with said contact member, and a barrier arranged within the compartment between said contact member and said opening to render said contact member ractically inaccessible from said opening w en said closure part is removed.

16. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an openin thereinto, a displaceab e closure member or the opening, a latch for the closure member adjacent one edge thereof, a switch mechanism adjacent the opposite edge of the closure member, and coiinections extending from'the latch across the closure member to the switch mechanism operative to cause the switch mechanism to assume open circuit position when the latch is operated to release the closure member.

17. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, a closure member for the opening movable into and out of closing position, a latch for retaining the closure member closed, a switch device movablev into on and o' positions, the latch comprising a handle part and a locking 'plate rotatable by the handle part into and out of locking position, a. member connected withlthe locking plate and extending therefrom into operative relation with the switch device adapted to insure an off position of' the switch device whenthe locking plate is in unlocking position, and an extension formediipon the locking plate operable whenthe closure member is being closed to constitute a stop for engaging against an opposing surface portion of the casing to prevent movement of the closure member into near closing position except when the lockilig plate is in unlocking position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe y my name, as attested by the twoA subscribing witnesses.

HUBERT F. KRA NT?.

Witnesses: I

LEON MiN'rz, B. COOKE. 

